1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to a strip-line filter utilized to filter microwaves in a communication apparatus or a measuring apparatus operated in frequency bands ranging from an ultra high frequency (UHF) band to a super high frequency (SHF) band, and more particularly to a strip-line filter in which a strip line is shortened and is made plane at low cost. Also, the present invention relates generally to a dual mode resonator utilized for an oscillator or a strip-line filter, and more particularly to a dual mode resonator in which two types microwaves are independently resonated.
2. Description of the Related Art
2.1. First Previously Proposed Art
A strip-line resonating filter is manufactured by serially arranging a plurality of one-wavelength type of strip line ring resonators to reduce radiation loss of microwaves transmitting through a strip line of the resonating filter. However, there is a drawback in the strip-line resonating filter that the resonating filter cannot be downsized. Therefore, a dual mode strip-line filter in which microwaves in two orthogonal modes are resonated and filtered has been recently proposed. A conventional dual mode strip-line filter is described with reference to FIGS. 1 and 2.
FIG. 1 is a plan view of a conventional dual mode strip-line filter. FIG. 2A is a sectional view taken generally along the line II--II of FIG. 1. FIG. 2B is another sectional view taken generally along the line II--II of FIG. 1 according to a modification.
As shown in FIG. 1, a conventional dual mode strip-line filter 11 comprises an input terminal 12 excited by microwave, a one-wavelength strip line ring resonator 13 in which the microwaves are resonated, an input coupling capacitor 14 connecting the input terminal 12 and a coupling point A of the ring resonator 13 to couple the input terminal 12 excited by the microwaves to the ring resonator 13 in capacitive coupling, an output terminal 15 which is excited by the microwaves resonated in the ring resonator 13, an output coupling capacitor 16 connecting the output terminal 15 and a coupling point B in the ring resonator 13 to couple the output terminal 15 to the ring resonator 13 in capacitive coupling, a phase-shifting circuit 17 coupled to a coupling point C and a coupling point D of the ring resonator 13, a first coupling capacitor 18 for coupling a connecting terminal 20 of the phase-shifting circuit 17 to the coupling point C in capacitive coupling, and a second coupling capacitor 19 for coupling another connecting terminal 21 of the phase-shifting circuit 17 to the coupling point D in capacitive coupling.
The ring resonator 13 has a uniform line impedance and an electric length which is equivalent to a resonance wavelength .lambda..sub.o. In this specification, the electric length of a closed loop-shaped strip line such as the ring resonator 13 is expressed in an angular unit. For example, the electric length of the ring resonator 13 equivalent to the resonance wavelength .lambda..sub.o is called 360 degrees.
The input and output coupling capacitors 14, 16 and first and second coupling capacitors 18, 18 are respectively formed of a plate capacitor.
The coupling point B is spaced 90 degrees in the electric length (or a quarter-wave length of the microwaves) apart from the coupling point A. The coupling point C is spaced 180 degrees in the electric length (or a half-wave length of the microwaves) apart from the coupling point A. The coupling point D is spaced 180 degrees in the electric length apart from the coupling point B.
The phase-shifting circuit 17 is made of one or more passive or active elements such as a capacitor, an inductor, a strip line, an amplifier, a combination unit of those elements, or the like. A phase of the microwaves transferred to the phase-shifting circuit 17 shifts by a multiple of a half-wave length of the microwaves to produce phase-shift microwaves.
As shown in FIG. 2A, the ring resonator 13 comprises a strip conductive plate 22, a dielectric substrate 23 mounting the strip conductive plate 22, and a conductive substrate 24 mounting the dielectric substrate 23. That is, the ring resonator 13 is formed of a microstrip line. The wavelength of the microwaves depends on a relative dielectric constant .epsilon..sub.r of the dielectric substrate 23 so that the electric length of the ring resonator 13 depends on the relative dielectric constant .epsilon..sub.r.
In a modification, the ring resonator 13 is formed of a balanced strip line shown in FIG. 2B. As shown in FIG. 2B, the ring resonator 13 comprises a strip conductive plate 22m, a dielectric substrate 23m surrounding the strip conductive plate 22m, and a pair of conductive substrates 24m sandwiching the dielectric substrate 23m.
In the above configuration, when the input terminal 12 is excited by microwaves having various wavelengths around the resonance wavelengths .lambda..sub.o, electric field is induced around the input coupling capacitor 14 so that the intensity of the electric field at the coupling point A of the ring resonator 13 is increased to a maximum value. Therefore, the input terminal 12 is coupled to the ring resonator 13 in the capacitive coupling, and the microwaves are transferred from the input terminal 12 to the coupling point A of the ring resonator 13. Thereafter, the microwaves are circulated in the ring resonator 13 in clockwise and counterclockwise directions. In this case, the microwaves having the resonance wavelength .lambda..sub.c are selectively resonated according to a first resonance mode.
The intensity of the electric field induced by the microwaves resonated is minimized at the coupling point B spaced 90 degrees in the electric length apart from the coupling point A because the intensity of the electric field at the coupling point A is increased to the maximum value. Therefore, the microwaves are not directly transferred to the output terminal 15. Also, the intensity of the electric field is minimized at the coupling point D spaced 90 degrees in the electric length apart from the coupling point A so that the microwaves are not transferred from the coupling point D to the phase-shifting circuit 17. In contrast, because the coupling point C is spaced 180 degrees in the electric length apart from the coupling point A, the intensity of the electric field at the coupling point C is maximized, and the connecting terminal 20 is excited by the microwaves circulated in the ring resonator 13. Therefore, the microwaves are transferred from the coupling point C to the phase-shifting circuit 17 through the first coupling capacitor 18.
In the phase-shifting circuit 17, the phase of the microwaves shifts to produce phase-shift microwaves. For example, the phase of the microwaves shifts by a half-wave length thereof. Thereafter, the connecting terminal 21 is excited by the phase-shift microwaves, and the phase-shift microwaves are transferred to the coupling point D through the second coupling capacitor 19. Therefore, the intensity of the electric field at the coupling point D is increased to the maximum value. Thereafter, the phase-shift microwaves are circulated in the ring resonator 13 in the clockwise and counterclockwise directions so that the phase-shift microwaves are resonated according to a second resonance mode.
Thereafter, because the coupling point B is spaced 180 degrees in the electric length apart from the coupling point D, the intensity of the electric field is increased at the coupling point B. Therefore, electric field is induced around the output coupling capacitor 16, so that the output terminal 15 is coupled to the coupling point B in the capacitive coupling. Thereafter, the phase-shift microwaves are transferred from the coupling point B to the output terminal 15. In contrast, because the coupling points A, C are respectively spaced 90 degrees in the electric length apart from the coupling point D, the intensity of the electric field induced by the phase-shift microwaves is minimized at the coupling points A, C. Therefore, the phase-shift microwaves are transferred to neither the input terminal 12 nor the connecting terminal 20.
Accordingly, the microwaves having the resonance wavelength .lambda..sub.o are selectively resonated in the ring resonator 13 and are transferred to the output terminal 15. Therefore, the conventional dual mode strip-line filter 11 functions as a resonator and filter.
The microwaves transferred from the input terminal 12 are initially resonated in the ring resonator 13 according to the first resonance mode, and the phase-shift microwaves are again resonated in the ring resonator 13 according to the second resonance mode. Also, the phase of the phase-shift microwaves shifts by 90 degrees as compared with the microwaves. Therefore, two orthogonal modes formed of the first resonance mode and the second resonance mode independently coexist in the ring resonator 13. Therefore, the conventional dual mode strip-line filter 11 functions as a two-stage filter.
2.2. Problems of the First Previously Proposed Art to be Solved by the Invention
However, passband characteristics of the filter 11 is determined by the electric length of the ring resonator 13, so that a microwave having a fixed wavelength such as .lambda..sub.o is only resonated. Therefore, because the electric length of the ring resonator 13 is unadjustable, there is a drawback that the adjustment of the resonance wavelength is difficult.
Also, because it is required that the electric length of the strip line ring resonator 13 is equal to the one wavelength .lambda..sub.o of the resonance microwave and because the phase-shifting circuit 17 is formed of a concentrated constant element such as a coupling capacitor or a transmission line such as a strip line, there is another drawback that it is difficult to manufacture the filter 11 in a small-size and plane shape.
2.3. Second Previously Proposed Art
FIG. 3 is a plan view of another conventional dual mode strip-line filter.
As shown in FIG. 3, another conventional dual mode strip-line filter 31 comprises two dual mode strip-line filters 11 arranged in series. An inter-stage coupling capacitor 32 is connected between the coupling point D of the filter 11 arranged at an upper stage and the coupling point A of the filter 11 arranged at a lower stage. The phase shifting circuit 17 of the filter 11 arranged at the upper stage is composed of a coupling capacitor 33, and the phase-shifting circuit 17 of the filter 11 arranged at the lower stage is composed of a coupling capacitor 34.
In the above configuration, when the input terminal 12 is excited by a signal (or a microwave) having a resonance wavelength .lambda..sub.o, the signal is resonated according to the first and second resonance modes in the same manner, and the signal is transferred to the coupling point A of the filter 11 arranged at the lower stage through the inter-stage coupling capacitor 32. Thereafter, the signal is again resonated according to the first and second resonance modes in the filter 11 arranged at the lower stage, and the signal is output from the coupling point D to the output terminal 15. In this case, the resonance wavelength .lambda..sub.o is determined according to an electric length of the ring resonator 13.
Therefore, the conventional dual mode strip-line filter 31 functions as a four-stage filter in which the signal is resonated at four stages arranged in series.
2.4. Problems of the Second Previously Proposed Art to be Solved by the Invention
However, it is required that the electric length of the strip line ring resonator 13 is equal to the one wavelength .lambda..sub.o of a resonance microwave, and it is required to increase the number of filters 11 for the purpose of improving attenuation characteristics of the resonance microwave. Therefore, there is a drawback that a small sized filter cannot be manufactured.
Also, the phase-shifting circuit 17 is formed of a concentrated constant element such as a coupling capacitor or a transmission line such as a strip line, there is another drawback that it is difficult to manufacture the filter 31 in a small-size and plane shape.
2.5. Third Previously Proposed Art
A quarter-wavelength strip line resonator made of a balanced strip line or a micro-strip line has been broadly utilized in a high frequency band as an oscillator or a resonator utilized for a strip-line filter because the quarter-wavelength strip line resonator can be made in a small size. However, because ground processing in a high-frequency is performed for the quarter-wavelength strip line resonator, there are drawbacks that characteristics of a resonance frequency and a no-loaded Q factor (Q=.omega..sub.o /2.DELTA..omega., .omega..sub.o denotes a resonance angular frequency and .DELTA..omega. denotes a full width at half maximum) vary. To solve the drawbacks, a dual mode resonator in which two types microwaves having two different frequencies are resonated or a microwave is resonated in two stages by utilizing two independent resonance modes occurring in a ring-shaped resonator not grounded in high-frequency has been proposed for the purpose of downsizing a resonator. The dual mode resonator is, for example, written in a technical Report MW92-115 (1992-12) of Microwave Research in the Institute of Electronics. Information and Communication Engineers.
A conventional dual mode resonator is described with reference to FIG. 4.
FIG. 4 is an oblique view of a conventional dual mode resonator.
As shown in FIG. 4, a conventional dual mode resonator 41 comprises a rectangular-shaped strip line 42 for resonating two microwaves having two different frequencies f1 and f2, a lumped constant capacitor 43 connected to connecting points A, B of the rectangular-shaped strip line 42 for electromagnetically influencing the microwave having the frequency f1, a dielectric substrate 44 mounting the strip line 42, and a grounded conductive plate 45 mounting the dielectric substrate 44. Electric characteristics of the rectangular-shaped strip line 42 is the same as those of a ring-shaped strip line. The strip line 42 is made of a microstrip line. However, it is applicable that the strip line 42 be made of a balanced strip line.
In the above configuration, when a first input terminal (not shown) connected to the connecting point A is excited by a first signal (or a first microwave) having a frequency f1, an electric voltage at the connecting point A is increased to a maximum value. Therefore, the first signal is transferred from the first input terminal to the connecting point A of the strip line 42. Thereafter, the first signal is circulated in the strip line 42 in clockwise and counterclockwise directions in a first resonance mode. In this case, electric voltages at connecting points C and D spaced 90 degrees in the electric length (or a quarter-wave length of the first signal) apart from the connecting point A are respectively reduced to a minimum value, so that the first signal is not output from the connecting point C or D to a terminal (not shown) connected to the connecting point C or D. Also, an electric voltage at the connecting point B spaced 180 degrees in the electric length (or a half-wave length of the first signal) apart from the connecting point A is increased to the maximum value, so that the first signal is output from the connecting point B to a first output terminal (not shown) connected to the connecting point B.
In contrast, when a second input terminal (not shown) connected to the connecting point C is excited by a second signal (or a second microwave) having a frequency f2, an electric voltage at the connecting point C is increased to a maximum value. Therefore, the second signal is transferred from the second input terminal to the connecting point C of the strip line 42. Thereafter, the second signal is circulated in the strip line 42 in clockwise and counterclockwise directions in a second resonance mode. In this case, electric voltages at the connecting points A and B spaced 90 degrees in the electric length apart from the connecting point C are respectively reduced to a minimum value, so that the second signal is not output from the connecting point A or B to the first input or output terminal connected to the connecting point A or B. Also, an electric voltage at the connecting point D spaced 180 degrees in the electric length apart from the connecting point C is increased to the maximum value, so that the second signal is output from the connecting point B to a second output terminal (not shown) connected to the connecting point D.
Because any lumped constant capacitor connected to the connecting points C and D is not provided, the frequency f1 differs from the frequency f2. However, in cases where a capacitor having the same capacity as that of the capacitor 43 is provided to be connected between the connecting points C and D, the frequency f2 is equal to the frequency f1. Also, in cases where the capacitor 43 is removed, the frequency f1 is equal to the frequency f2. Therefore, the frequencies f1 and f2 resonated in the first and second resonance modes independent each other are the same. In other words, the conventional dual mode resonator 41 functions as a two-stage resonator in which two microwaves having the same frequency are resonated in two stages arranged in parallel.
Accordingly, the resonator 41 comprising the strip line 42 and the capacitor 43 functions as a dual mode resonator in which two microwaves are resonated in two resonance modes independent each other. Because the resonator 41 is not grounded in high-frequency as a special feature of a dual mode resonator and because radiation loss of the microwave is lessened because of a closed-shape strip line as another special feature of the dual mode resonator, the resonator 41 can be manufactured in a small size without losing the special features of a one-wavelength ring-shaped dual mode resonator.
2.6. Problems of the Third Previously Proposed Art to be Solved by the Invention
However, it is required to accurately set a lumped capacity of the capacitor 43 for the purpose of obtaining a resonance frequency of a microwave at a good reproductivity. In actual manufacturing of the dual mode resonator 41, it is difficult to accurately set a lumped capacity of the capacitor 43. In cases where a frequency adjusting element is additionally provided for the dual mode resonator 41 to accurately set a lumped capacity of the capacitor 43, the number of constitutional parts of the dual mode resonator 41 is increased. Therefore, there are drawbacks that resonating functions of the resonator 41 are degraded and a manufacturing cost of the resonator 41 is increased.